About Me

Friday, July 29, 2011

Speaking of Murray Leinster . . .

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Okay, this one's a real treat. I've started posting installments of Billee Stallings' appearance at Readercon. Billee is the daughter of Will F. Jenkins who, writing as Murray Leinster, was one of the pioneers of science fiction. "In a just universe," David Hartwell has said, "Murray Leinster would be as famous as Robert A. Heinlein."

Billee and her sister Jo-an J. Evans have published a memoir of their father, Murray Leinster: His Life and Works, which will appear any day now from McFarland. Like all McFarland books, it's a little pricey. (Forty bucks. Yikes.) But if you need this book -- and there are plenty of people who do -- it's well worth the cost.

Personally, I think the photo of the young Will Jenkins, age 13, posing with the glider he built and flew is worth the expense in and of itself.

In any case, Billee is a delightful and intelligent lady who, as you will see, knows how to speak in public. I could listen to her all day.

And good news if you're me . . .

I have my camera back! Now I can post photos of my breakfast on Facebook again.

And speaking of the Gardner Dozois panel . . .

I took a look at what I posted on YouTube. I was my usual stammering self, but other than that the panel was great. Tom Purdom in particular deserves kudos as an articulate, abide-no-nonsense moderator. Thank you, Tom.

Above: There's the first of either six or seven segments. I'll post the rest soon, probably over the weekend.